The Day After Thanksgiving! What a big day! Black Friday! Do you attempt to take on the crowds? Do you get up at 4am to wait in line for the best deal ever?
I have before, however this year I am taking a break! There is nothing so important to me this year to get up in the wee hours of the morning to stand in line. I would rather sleep in and drink a nice Hot Peppermint Mocha! This is my plan for the day after Thanksgiving and probably a turkey sandwich for lunch!
However, many of you will attempt the crowds and will get up early…. And no matter what, we all have shopping to do for the holidays…
Here are Ten great tips to help you SAVE TIME and MONEY!
1. Make a list of everyone you need to buy for – Family, Friends, Co-Workers, Neighbors, etc. As you buy the gift, check them off of the list.
2. Set a budget and stick to it! Pay in cash, not credit card. So set your budget realistically… What can you really afford and stick to it. The holidays should not be about feeling guilty after you made the purchase or going into debt.
3. Keep the gifts simple. Giving a gift during the holiday season is about sharing your love with others, telling them you appreciate them. It doesn’t have to cost anything. If you have kids, set aside a day where you make art pictures for family, and if you have a few bucks to spare, frame the picture. If you scrapbook or make cards as a hobby, set aside some time to scrapbook a page for someone or a mini book with supplies you already have. Make a set of cards as a gift. Make a card and tell that person what they mean to you.
4. Think about buying one gift for one family. Instead of buying 4 individual gifts, buy a board game for the family. Or if you have a couple you are buying for, instead of two gifts, buy one gift they both can use – a gift certificate to their favorite restaurant or a night at the movies.
5. Consider drawing names with your family this year. Everyone is on a tight budget, people may find relief in only having to buy one nice gift rather than having to buy for several people. Keep it simple.
6. Bake your gift! People love getting homemade baked items during this time of the year. Buy a few decorative plastic plates or baggies and double your recipe and pass out your baked goods with a nice little note wishing them a Happy Holiday!
7. If you are buying gifts from a store, make sure to understand their return policy and make sure to add the gift receipt to the gift. Stores are tightening up on their policies this year, and you don’t want to be out of luck! (Keep all of your Christmas receipts in one place for reference later. Plus this keeps you on track for your budget!)
8. Along with making sure you get a gift receipt, make sure it was ran up correctly. Store clerks are busy this time of year and mistakes happen.
9. If you don’t want to mix with the crowds this season, buy online. There are some great deals online with reasonable shipping rates. This may be easier if you need to ship a gift anyway!
10. For the hard to buy- consider a gift card, however make sure the company is solid and not going out of business anytime soon, and you may want to find out if there is an expiration date, and make sure the receiver is aware of the store policies.
Happy Holidays! Happy Shopping! Happy Organizing!
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